JIST

Abstract

The Pesticides Management Bill 2020 aims to address the issues of outdated and unscientific registration criteria, lack of stricter penalties for spurious pesticides and deceptive advertisements, inadequate regulation of pesticide pricing, and proper disposal of agrochemical substances in an environmentally-friendly manner. The proposed legislation is expected to cater to the multidimensional needs of today's agriculture sector and provide better protection to farmers from fraudulent practices in the pesticide market. The bill also proposes to incorporate measures to regulate and standardize treatment protocols for acute toxicity, particularly in cases of suicidal poisoning in the Indian rural population. It is also essential to ensure that pesticide manufacturers take up their corporate social responsibility by establishing poison control centres and antidote depots. These measures are crucial to ensure the safety and well-being of farmers, pesticide applicators, the environment, and the general public.